Today, I ordered an MQGPS-TraQr from MaxQData. This simple unit is secured to the roof of the car under a magnetic cover and can be instantly moved from car to car.

In about the time it takes to weigh a car at impound, the unit can download data to a nearby laptop. After entering the car’s weight, the maximum hp can be calculated, almost instantly. Also, the driver’s maximum hp can be seen on straights and exiting corners.

When ordering the unit, the MaxQData guy told me that a driver in a Touring car series had been checked, and warned. Later, he had tried to hide the car’s power by cracking the throttle a little going down the straights. The MaxQData unit “saw” his power coming off the turns and the driver was disqualified.

We are certainly not ready to disqualify a driver, based only on the MaxQData unit alone, but I will compare the unit’s readings to the VIR dyno this weekend. My car will be the test car and I will share this information with the group here next week. And of course, anyone can watch what we do at VIR. The process will be completely transparent.

If time and funds permit this weekend, we hope to test the unit on other cars as well, to gather more data.

I am also planning to loan the unit to other Spec E30 Regional Series Directors for their use this season. If we feel confident after several tests of the MaxQData unit, the Spec E30 Regional Series Directors and I will establish a maximum hp number for the series, and cars will be tested periodically. My plan includes having a unit for each NASA region that has active Spec E30 cars but that depends on sponsorship and support this year. Jeremy at NASA National and I are working together on additional sponsorship for Spec E30 and these announcements will be posted here.

This weekend at VIR, we are going to conduct a “mock” maximum horsepower check after Saturday’s race. The car to be checked will be mine, (yellow #58) and the maximum hp for the weekend is 162. After several dyno tests, of different Spec E30 cars on the VIR in-ground dyno, 162 hp is a good starting point.

The procedure is as follows.

The Spec E30 MaxQData Traqr will be mounted on the roof of the car just before the Saturday race, using the magnetic cover. After the race, regardless of my finishing position, the car will be weighted and the data from the Traqr will be downloaded into a laptop at Impound.

After a short review of the data, the car will be driven by a NASA Official directly to the VIR in-ground dyno and will be checked for maximum horsepower by a dyno official. The driver will not be allowed to touch the car at anytime after the weigh-in.

If the maximum hp exceeds 162, at any place in the rev range, the car will be “mock” disqualified.

This is a test and the results will be reported here after the conclusion of the weekend.

Next week, the Spec E30 Regional Series Directors and I will continue our discussion on this program. We will also review any and all comments and suggestions from any Spec E30 driver. Drivers are encouraged to email your thoughts directly to your Spec E30 Regional Series Director and/or to me. Our email addresses are posted on this site.

We plan to continue to move forward on the maximum hp rule and having an in-ground dyno at VIR will provide reliable and consistent readings.

The Mid Atlantic Region is racing at VIR in July and October. Spec E30 plans to have a basic hp rule, enforced at VIR, by the October weekend. And as this program is tested, we plan to expand it to other active regions, as reliable testing is available in those regions.

In accordance with my last post, I tested the Spec E30 MaxQData Traqr at VIR this past weekend. We had planned to do a “mock” horsepower check of my car on Saturday but due to the rainy conditions, this was not done. However, NASA Mid Atlantic officials were included in a discussion about the proposed test procedures and they found the procedures to be reasonable and logical. See my previous post for a rough outline of the testing procedures.

During the weekend, I used the Traqr during the Saturday wet race and the Sunday dry race.

Sunday afternoon, and in about ten minutes, I was able to compare both runs and found the software to be user-friendly (even for this non-computer guy) and very helpful. Just as I compared my two runs, we can easily and quickly compare the runs of two or more Spec E30 cars. And we will always turn off all data except the horsepower numbers. Spec E30 Officials will never look at g-numbers, lap times, corner exit speeds, etc.

MaxQData suggests we compare a few cars after a race and based on the data, decide which car(s) goes to the dyno for an official horsepower test. The actual dyno numbers will determine which car(s) is disqualified, based on a maximum horsepower number that is yet to be determined.

For now, the process of reviewing two cars (my car Saturday and my car Sunday) was very easy and efficient.

On another note, the MaxQData guys mentioned that on a large purchase, the price per unit will be “about the same as the cost of two or three dyno runs.” This is significantly less than the cost of the required transponder.

During a discussion among the Spec E30 racers at VIR at our Saturday cookout, none was overly concerned about the possibility that the Traqr may be required in the future, especially considering that the cost is less than the cost of two tires, and that it would be a one-time purchase.

Spec E30 racer Carlton Goldthwaite offered the idea that the unit not be required but that if a driver finishes in the top five and has chosen to not have a Traqr, his/her car will be repositioned to 6th place. With that, midpack drivers can choose to not buy a Traqr, or to buy one later. This is an interesting idea and we are certainly willing to review all other ideas.

As we move forward, we appreciate any and all suggestions from the Spec E30 drivers and I will continue to report our progress as we get closer to an enforceable horsepower rule.